Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-09-06
ENSlLAGE FOR STOCK.
The Successful and Profitable Experiment
Made by Wisconsin Farmer.


/ have fed ensilage to my cows,
horses, hogs, turkeys and chickens,
with the very best of results. COM
menced feeding on the oath of Novem-
bcr, 1886, to my cows, all thorough
bred Holsteins and Jerseys, with the
following results; Eight cows, most of
them being nearly dry. were giving 100
pounds of milk per day; on the S0th of
November. six days after feeding
ensilage, the same cows gave 22S
pounds of milk. Before feeding ensilage
it took % pounds of milk to make n
pound of butter; after feeding ensilage
it took 222 pounds of milk to make a
pound af butter. l fed 80 pounds of
ensilage per day and A pounds of mid
dlings to each COW, and some hay and
corn-stalks. Corn-meal should not bo
fed with ensilage; to get the best re-
suits, feed bran or middlings. My
cows never did so well as they have
done this winter while feeding
ensilage. My young stock
and dry cows gained in weight
very rapidly on ensilage without any
grain. When my ensilage was gone
the cows in six days were short ~
pounds of milk day, though their feed
(meaD was nearly doubled, and they
had hay and cornstalks for coarse feed.
have 20 Poland-China shoats that
fed on ensilage for three months,
without any other feed, and / never
had as thrifty lot Of pigsi ! sold a
number of them this spring for breed
ers and they gave good satisfaction.
/ fed 65 bronze turkeys on ensilage
alone, for three months, and they did
better than any turkeys ever had.
both as respects health and weight l
fed my chickens successfully on en-
silage. If poultrymen would feed
ensilage to their stock they would get
more eggs and less sick chickens dur
ing winters, when they are confined in
their houses. have fed ensilage TO
my horses. and it gives them nice
sleek coat, and keeps them in good
condition. Horses and cattle will leave
their meal. and eat ensilage; and they
ought to be good judges of what is
good for them. Last fall built silo
for an experiment; the coming fall |
will build a larger one, for the dol
lars that it will save for me. If we
can feed cow on to 10 cents per
day, or if we can feed two cows on one
acre, there is new era dawning on
us. We can feed 2 cows S66 days on
one acre by planting corn and making
ensilage of II. If we would take the
hint, bogus butter or hard times would
not trouble so very much.
/ built my silo endways into hill
alongside my barn. Size 12 by 32 feet
and II feet high; plank floor; the
studding is 2 by 6 inches, boarded on
inside and outside, and filled in with
qhaff and cut straw. Used no psper
on sides or top. Gut three loads Of
straw and chaff from the tail of thresh-
ing-machine and put it on top Of ensi-
lage, spread it evenly, and tramped it
well along the sides and ends. Put
planks on top and few stones to keep
them in place. Did not lose so pounda
of pnsilage, Ny silo is about half un-
der ground, The cattle will cat chaff
aud out straw, rs well as onsilage. l
laid four sills. imbedded In tho
ground; put 14-foot planks crosswise,
and then nailed a 2 by 4-inch scantling
over the ends of the planks, and set
my studding inside. This will keep
them from spreading. This is cheap
and strong; saves work and timber.
made silo 2 incnes wider at bottom
than at top, so that the ensilage could
settle evenly. John UrQtaiart, IN
Prairie Farmer.